When Self-Worth Is Tied to One's Sexual and Romantic Relationship: Associations with Well-Being in Couples Coping with Genito-Pelvic Pain

Romantic Attachment, Sex Motives and Sexual Difficulties in Emerging Adults: The Role of Childhood Interpersonal Victimization

A growing body of research has revealed that many emerging adults (i.e., aged 18 to 25) experience sexual difficulties. Past studies have emphasized the need to examine sexual difficulties by accounting for sex motives (i.e., reasons for engaging in sex) and by using a trauma-focused or attachment-based framework. This study examined the role of sex motives in the associations among attachment insecurities (anxiety, avoidance) and sexual difficulties in emerging adults, and assessed whether these links varied on the basis of low or high exposure to childhood interpersonal victimization (CIV) (i.e., 0-3 different types of CIV or 4 or more types of CIV). A sample of 437 French-Canadian emerging adults completed validated questionnaires online. Path analyses revealed that participants with higher attachment anxiety were more likely to endorse the partner approval sex motive, which was related to more sexual difficulties. Participants with higher attachment avoidance were less likely to endorse the pleasure sex motive, which was associated with more sexual difficulties. Results indicated a significant effect of CIV showing that some indirect effects were significant only in participants who reported high CIV exposure. Results suggest that addressing sex motives using an attachment- and trauma-focused framework might help understand, prevent and treat sexual difficulties among emerging adults.

Italian Versions of the 12-Item Sexual Distress Scale (SDS) and the 5-Item Sexual Distress Scale-Short Form (SDS-SF): Psychometric Properties

The study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Italian versions of the 12-item Sexual Distress Scale (SDS) and the 5-item Sexual Distress Scale-Short Form (SDS-SF). A total sample of 2291 adults (1361 women, 930 men) participated through a web survey completing the SDS, the FSFI, the IIEF, the PANAS and the SCL-90-R. The results supported the adequacy of both the SDS and SDS-SF factor structures, good reliability (respectively, α = .96 and .92), discriminant validities and strong associations with satisfaction, fear, depression, and psychoticism. SDS and SDS-SF may facilitate the assessment of sexual distress for both clinical and research purposes.

Psychosocial factors associated with pain and sexual function in women with Vulvodynia: A systematic review

Background and objective

Vulvodynia is a prevalent chronic vulval pain condition affecting 10%–28% of women, and significantly impacting their health and quality of life. It is currently poorly understood and biomedical treatments achieve only modest benefits for pain and sexual functioning. A wider psychosocial conceptualization of this condition may improve outcomes. There is currently no coherent understanding of how psychosocial factors may contribute to outcomes in Vulvodynia. The aim of this review is to identify and systematically review psychosocial factors associated with pain and sexual outcomes and to inform a psychosocial model of Vulvodynia.

Databases and data treatment

Observational/experimental studies reporting on the association between psychosocial factors and pain/sexual outcomes in adult women with Vulvodynia were eligible. Two reviewers independently conducted eligibility screening, data extraction and quality assessment. Twenty‐one studies were included, all focused on women with Provoked Vestibulodynia (PVD). Most of the studies were low‐to‐medium quality.

Results/Conclusion

A range of general/pain‐related distress and avoidance processes, and sex/intimacy avoidance or engagement processes were significantly associated with pain, sexual functioning or sexual distress and sexual satisfaction, supporting the role of a psychosocial approach to PVD. Depression, anxiety, catastrophizing, pain‐anxiety, pain acceptance, body‐exposure anxiety, attention to sexual cues, partner hostility and solicitousness, self‐efficacy and penetration cognitions are highlighted as potentially important treatment targets in PVD. Due to the limited data available, developing a psychosocial model was not possible. Directions for future research include examining the replicability and generalizability of the factors identified, exploring differences/similarities across Vulvodynia subsets and testing tailored theoretically based treatments.

Significance

The systematic review highlights the role of psychosocial factors associated with pain and sexual functioning in Vulvodynia. The review findings reveal that Vulvodynia presents both similar and unique cognitive, behavioural and interpersonal features compared to other chronic pain conditions. There may be important roles for negative sexual cues, body image–related factors during intercourse, partner factors, self‐efficacy beliefs and penetration cognitions, in relation to pain and sexual functioning.

Preliminary validation of the Sexual Distress Scale-Short Form: Applications to Women, Men, and Prostate Cancer Survivors

The Sexual Distress Scale (SDS) can be used to assess sexual distress in women, men, and prostate cancer (PCa) survivors. Despite its strong psychometric properties, researchers and clinicians could benefit from a short form of the scale. Two studies were conducted to develop (Study 1) and validate (Study 2) a short form of the SDS (SDS-SF) using samples of women, men, and PCa survivors from previous studies. Results of Study 1 suggested a 5-item SDS-SF. Study 2 showed that the SDS-SF items clustered in one factor with good fit across the three samples and excellent reliability. Sexual distress was associated with higher sexual bother, and poorer sexual satisfaction, sexual function, and relationship quality. The SDS-SF discriminated participants with and without distressing sexual problems. The SDS-SF facilitates the assessment of sexual distress in clinical settings by providing a quick way of screening patients with high levels of sexual distress.

Sexual Distress Mediates the Associations Between Sexual Contingent Self-Worth and Well-Being in Women With Genitopelvic Pain: A Dyadic Daily Experience Study

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD), a common cause of women's genitopelvic pain, is associated with poorer psychological and sexual well-being in affected couples. Greater sexual contingent self-worth (CSW)-defined as self-esteem that is dependent on the perceived success or failure of a sexual relationship-has been linked to poorer well-being in a cross-sectional study of couples coping with PVD. This study aimed to examine whether daily sexual distress mediated the associations between greater sexual CSW and lower sexual satisfaction and greater anxiety, depressed mood, and women's pain in affected couples. Women (N = 125) diagnosed with PVD and their partners completed the Sexual CSW Scale and then online daily surveys for eight weeks measuring sexual distress, sexual satisfaction, anxiety, depressed mood, and women's pain during intercourse. Multilevel analyses were based on the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM). For women who had higher sexual CSW (compared to lower sexual CSW), on sexual activity days when their sexual distress was higher, they reported lower sexual satisfaction and greater anxiety, depressed mood, and pain (compared to their average level across all sexual activity days). Findings suggest that daily sexual distress may be one pathway between greater sexual CSW and poorer day-to-day well-being in women with PVD.